Nigerian and Cameroonian forces have killed over 300 Boko Haram militants and rescued approximately 2,000 hostages during a joint military operation in northern Nigeria, security sources told media on Tuesday.

"Cameroonian soldiers of the Multinational Joint Task Force [MNJTF] and the Nigerian soldiers of the 152 battalion," took part in the operation, Cameroonian General Bouba Dobekreo said.

The Multinational Joint Task Force was established by Lake Chad Basin countries -Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon and Benin- to stop attacks by Boko Haram militants that have spread to the Lake Chad region.

"Some 300 Boko Haram militants were killed and nearly 2,000 people were released from the hands of Boko Haram during the military operation," Dobekreo added.

"We destroyed a Boko Haram logistics base where they manufactured explosives. We recovered several weapons, destroyed vehicles, generators and other war materials," the general said.

The clash reportedly occurred on Sunday and Monday in Walassa, nearly 35 km [21 miles] away from north of Kumshe in northern Nigeria, near the Cameroon border.

Last weekend, Nigerian forces rescued 275 people in the country's northeaster Borno state, in an operation that 15 suspected militants were killed.

Boko Haram was formed in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, in 2009.

In the past six years more than 17,000 people have been killed by Boko Haram, making it the world's deadliest militant group. The group also caused around 2 million people to flee the area.